Following the death of incumbent Governor James Withycombe in 1919, Olcott, then the Secretary of State, assumed the office under the state's line of succession. Although he held some [[nativist]] views against Japanese-Americans,<ref>[https://www.nga.org/governor/ben-olcott/ Gov. Ben Olcott]. ''National Governors Association''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> Olcott stood strongly against the KKK and issued a proclamation in 1922 strongly condemning the Klan following three assaults that year.<ref>[https://www.oregonhistoryproject.org/articles/historical-records/proclamation-against-the-ku-klux-klan-1922/ Proclamation Against the Ku Klux Klan, 1922]. ''The Oregon History Project''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> | Following the death of incumbent Governor James Withycombe in 1919, Olcott, then the Secretary of State, assumed the office under the state's line of succession. Although he held some [[nativist]] views against Japanese-Americans,<ref>[https://www.nga.org/governor/ben-olcott/ Gov. Ben Olcott]. ''National Governors Association''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> Olcott stood strongly against the KKK and issued a proclamation in 1922 strongly condemning the Klan following three assaults that year.<ref>[https://www.oregonhistoryproject.org/articles/historical-records/proclamation-against-the-ku-klux-klan-1922/ Proclamation Against the Ku Klux Klan, 1922]. ''The Oregon History Project''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> |